1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water-supply system which is principally utilized for breeding poultry.
2. Description of Related Art
The water-supply system of this kind has heretofore been used in such a way that water is supplied to an upwardly opened vessel which is made in the shape of a dish or tub to maintain water level at a certain height so that poultry can scoop up water from the vessel with their bills. A fixed type or height adjustable type water-supply system has conventionally been used.
However, water is spattered when they scoop up water with their bills thereby causing the surroundings to become wet and become unsanitary, and the water to be wastefully consumed. Moreover, since dust and rubbish, remains of feed, droppings and the like get into the vessels, the surroundings to be became unsanitary and the vessels can be a source of contagious disease and the like.
In order to cope with such problems, frequent cleanings and the like are required which necessitates much time and labor for maintenance. There is another problem that the water used for the cleaning can not be drained since it causes harm to the public.
The device illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 is introduced as a means to solve the problems. In the device, an end of a horizontally arranged conduit pipe B is connected to a decompression tank A, and another end of the conduit pipe B is formed as a ventilation section C which is upwardly bent and opened to maintain the pressure within the conduit pipe B at a predetermined value.
In the longitudinal direction of the conduit pipe B, there are disposed taps D known as nipples at a plurality of locations together with water receiver E. The conduit pipe B is thereby filled with water therein.
When the valve stem of a valve which is provided for the nipple is pecked upwardly with the bill of the poultry, the valve is intermittently opened to flow water in drops intermittently from the tap D so that the poultry can drink the water from the lower position.
With the construction described above, dust and rubbish, remains of feed, droppings and the like do not enter into the water being supplied, and excessive water is prevented from flowing wastefully. Further, water spattering is prevented when poultry drink water as compared with the case when the poultry scoop up the water.
However, said device can not fully satisfy the requirement. For instance, the laid conduit pipe B extends the feeding ground or floor when the system is placed directly on the ground or floor, and it forms a kind of partition to obstruct the movement of the poultry. It further makes it difficult to cross the inside of the poultry farm when maintenance operation is conducted. The whole space required for installing the system thus becomes large, and the taps D are dispersed so widely that it becomes difficult to conduct a maintenance operation.
In the case when the whole structure of the water-supply system is adjustably held in suspension for height regulation, it tends to sag by its own weight unless each part of the system is supported. The support structure thus becomes complicated and expensive. The maintenance operation for the support structure also becomes complicated and the system easily gets out of order.
It provides more chances for the poultry to perch on the conduit pipe B since it obstructs the movement of the poultry. Moreover, since the conduit pipe B can hardly endure such a situation, it is necessary to provide an additional protective member F which is fully provided with the durability to prevent the poultry from perching on the pipe B. The weight of the whole system thus becomes heavy and affects the support structure. This causes the production cost to become expensive. It further causes inconvenience in the handling and maintenance to be.